Method and device for folding blanks to form boxes

Abstract

A blank is folded to form a box by pressing it into a jig. End and side panels of the blank, along with supplemental panels at the corners, are lifted relative to a floor panel by folding surfaces of the jig. The side panels are lifted first and supplemental end panels are thus positioned inside the end panels. The blank may also include supplemental side panels that are folded outwardly and backwardly by corner guides of the jig.

I claim: 
     
       1. A jig for folding a blank having side panels, end panels, supplemental side panels attached to said end panels, and supplemental end panels attached to said side panels to form a paperboard box, said jig comprising: a base;   side panel folding means arranged on opposite sides of said base and defining side folding surfaces that extend upwardly and outwardly from said base for engaging and folding said side panels;   end panel folding means arranged at opposite ends of said base and defining end folding surfaces that extend upwardly and outwardly from said base for engaging and folding said end panels, said end folding surfaces raising less steeply from said base than said side folding surfaces, whereby said side panels are folded upwardly before said end panels as said blank is pressed into said jig; and   corner guide means for engaging and folding said supplemental end panels upwardly with respect to the associated side panels prior to engagement of said side panels with side folding surfaces whereby said supplemental end panels are folded inwardly of said end panels, and for folding said supplemental side panels outwardly with respect to the associated end panels as said blank is pressed downwardly into said jig.   
     
     
       2. The jig of claim 1 further comprising: positioning means supported by said base for positioning said blank over said base in a predetermined orientation.   
     
     
       3. The jig of claim 1 wherein said side folding surfaces have vertical lower portions perpendicular to said base. 
     
     
       4. The jig of claim 1 wherein said side folding surfaces have outwardly inclined upper portions. 
     
     
       5. The jig of claim 1 wherein said side panel folding means includes two sets of side guides, said side guides of each set being arranged parallel to each other along one side of said base. 
     
     
       6. The jig of claim 5 further comprising positioning means formed by upward extensions of said side guides for positioning said blank over said base in a predetermined orientation. 
     
     
       7. The jig of claim 5 wherein said end panel folding means includes two sets of end guides, said end guides of each set being arranged parallel to each other along one edge of said base. 
     
     
       8. The jig of claim 1 wherein said corner guide means rise above said side folding surfaces. 
     
     
       9. The jig of claim 8 wherein said corner guide means includes supplemental end panel folding surfaces that extend upwardly and outwardly with respect to said base. 
     
     
       10. A method for folding a blank having side panels, end panels, supplemental side panels attached to said end panels, and supplemental end panels attached to said side panels, said method comprising the steps of: positioning said blank horizontally over a jig having a plurality of folding surfaces;   pressing said blank downwardly into said jig to engage said folding surfaces, thereby in sequence folding said supplemental end panels upwardly with respect to the associated side panels, folding said side panels and said end panels upwardly, said side panels being folded ahead of said end panels thereby positioning said supplemental end panels inside said end panels, said end panels engaging said supplemental end panels, and folding said supplemental side panels outwardly with respect to said end panels; and   folding portions of said end panels downwardly over said supplemental end panels and thereby positioning said supplemental side panels along side of and inside said side panels.   
     
     
       11. A jig for folding a blank having side panels, end panels, supplemental side panels attached to said end panels and supplemental end panels attached to said side panels, said jig comprising: a base;   positioning means supported by said base for horizontally positioning said blank over said base in a predetermined manner;   side panel folding guides arranged on opposite sides of said base and defining side folding surfaces that extend upwardly and outwardly from said base;   end panel folding guides arranged at opposite ends of said base and defining end folding surfaces that extend upwardly and outwardly from said base at an angle less steeply than said side folding surfaces whereby said side panels are folded upwardly before said end panels; and   corner guide means for folding said supplemental end panels upwardly with respect to the associated side panels prior to engagement of said side panels with said side folding surfaces whereby said supplemental end panels are folded inwardly of said end panels and for folding said supplemental side panels outwardly with respect to the associated end panels as said blank is pressed downwardly into said jig.   
     
     
       12. The jig claim of 11 wherein said side folding surfaces have vertical lower portions perpendicular to said base. 
     
     
       13. The jig of claim 11 wherein said corner guide means rise above said side folding surfaces. 
     
     
       14. The jig of claim 11 wherein said corner guide means include folding surfaces that extend upwardly and outwardly with respect to said base. 
     
     
       15. The jig of claim 11 wherein said positioning means is formed by upward extensions of said side panel folding guides dimensioned to be received between said side panels and said supplemental end panels. 
     
     
       16. A jig for folding a blank having side panels, end panels, supplemental side panels attached to said end panels and supplemental end panels attached to said side panels, said jig comprising: a rectangular horizontal base;   side panel folding means for defining side folding surfaces that include lower portions perpendicular to said base and upper portions extending upwardly and outwardly with respect to said base;   said side panel folding means including two sets of side guides, said guides of each set being arranged parallel to each other along one side of said base;   end panel folding means arranged at opposite ends of said base and defining end folding surfaces that extend upwardly and outwardly from said base, said end panel folding means including two sets of generally triangular end guides, said end guides of each set being arranged parallel to each other;   four corner guide means forming equal angles with said side guides and said end guides for folding said supplemental end panels inwardly and said supplemental side panels outwardly; and   positioning means formed by upward extensions of some of said guides and dimensioned to be received between said side panels and said supplemental end panels for horizontally positioning said blank with respect to said base in a predetermined manner;   whereby said side panels are folded upwardly before said end panels, said supplemental end panels are folded inwardly of said end panels and said supplemental side panels are folded outwardly as said blank is pressed downwardly into said jig.   
     
     
       17. A method of folding a blank having side panels, end panels, supplemental side panels attached to said end panels, and supplemental end panels attached to said side panels, said method comprising the steps of: positioning said blank over a jig having a plurality of folding surfaces; and   pressing said blank into said jig to engage said folding surfaces, thereby folding said side panels, said supplemental end panels, said end panels, and said supplemental side panels, said supplemental end panels being folded upwardly from said side panels prior to upward folding of said side panels, said side panels being folded upwardly ahead of said end panels whereby said supplemental end panels are positioned inwardly with respect to said end panels, and said end panels are folded upwardly and said supplemental side panels are folded outwardly with respect to the associated end panels, said end panels engaging said supplemental end panels and folding said supplemental end panels inwardly.   
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17 comprising the further step of folding said end panels over said supplemental end panels to define inner and outer portions of said end panels. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18 comprising the further step of positioning column forming inserts between said inner and outer portions of said end panels.